Strategic language use in interpersonal and intergroup communication

Language is the primary means by which we share information about others. When we describe individuals’ and group members’ actions and characteristics, we pass on our beliefs about those people to others, and by doing so our beliefs survive over time. Language is indeed a powerful tool for the transmission of beliefs about individuals and groups. Through language, the mass media influence consumers’ views (e.g., Ruscher, 2001; van Dijk, 1987; Williams & Giles, 1998), parents shape their childrens’ beliefs and stereotypes (Epstein & Komorita, 1966; Fagot, Leinbach, & O’Boyle, 1992), peers influence each others’ opinions and preferences (Nesdale, 2001; Weinreich, Luk, & Bond, 1996), and teachers pass on their own values and beliefs to their students (Ruscher, 2001; Stephan & Stephan, 1984). However, we argue in this chapter that when communicators describe others’ actions and traits, they not only pass on their private beliefs but also relay information that is influenced by motives and goals present at the time of communication. What communicators say and how they say it is sensitive to the context in which the communication takes place. The information transmitted can be more heavily influenced by context and motives than by communicators’ original beliefs, so that communicators often transmit information to others that is divorced from their private beliefs in intriguing ways. To illustrate our point, how often have you later reread an e-mail or letter you wrote and been surprised by its content? Of course, we could point to changing attitudes as one way of explaining discrepancies between what we said in the past and what we think or would say now, but one other way of explaining those differences is in terms of the powerful yet subtle effects of context. Drawing on our research program to date we argue in this chapter that, without necessarily being aware, communicators’ descriptive language use is strongly influenced by contextual and motivational factors. Specifically, communicators are able to use language strategically to present themselves favorably to an audience and achieve specific communication goals.